I

It is well known that throughout Russia the wages of factory workers made a sharp leap upward precisely in the fifth year and after the fifth year. According to the reports of factory inspectors, the average wage of a factory worker in Russia for the five-year period 1901–1905 equaled 206 rubles, while for the following five-year period 1906–1910 it equaled 238 rubles.

In Moscow Province the wages of workers were somewhat lower than the average for Russia. In 1901–1905 they equaled 201 rubles, according to the statistics of factory inspector Kozminyкh-Lanin, while for the following four-year period 1906–1909 they equaled 235 rubles.

Thus, thanks to the fifth year, the wages of Moscow workers increased on average per worker by 34 rubles, i.e., almost 17 %. Reckoning from 300 to 350 thousand factory workers in Moscow Province, this gives a sum of annual gains for all workers of 11 million rubles.

We see that the sacrifices made by workers in the strikes of 1905 were repaid by a serious improvement in the economic position of the workers.

And although after the victory of the June 3rd system, i.e., the counter-revolutionary system, a whole series of workers' conquests were taken away, still capital was unable to reduce wages to their former low level. In Moscow Province from 1901 to 1905 the wages of workers were around 200 rubles per year, fluctuating by year from 197 rubles (1902) to 203 rubles (1905). In 1906, when the results of the fifth year first became apparent, wages rose to 228 rubles; then in 1907 to 237 rubles; in 1908 they declined slightly (236½ rubles); in 1909 they again reached 237 rubles.

The figures show that without the acquisitions of 1905–1906, workers would have become impoverished in an utterly unbearable manner, for the cost of living over the last decade has constantly risen.

II

The wages of workers at large factories in Moscow Province are, as a general rule, higher than at small ones. For example, among textile workers, who constitute 68 %, i.e., more than two-thirds of the total number of factory workers in our province, the average annual wage in 1909 equaled:

The larger the factory, the higher the worker's wage. Among metalworkers we observe the same thing. At a large factory it is easier for workers to unite and resist capital, to defend their demands collectively. In order to catch up with their more advanced comrades, workers at small factories and workshops must more diligently unite in unions (trade, educational, cooperative, and others) and rally more closely around their workers' newspaper.

As a result of the greater solidarity of workers at large factories – strikes are organized more easily here and pass more successfully. Large factories participated more than small ones in the strike movement of 1905 and 1906.

In connection with this we see that workers at the largest factories gained more from the strikes of these years than workers at small establishments. Here are the figures for workers of all industries in Moscow Province:

Regarding these figures, we must first of all explain the (apparent) exception to the rule set forth above, according to which wages at large factories are higher than at small ones. The thing is that metalworkers, printers, and some others earn considerably more than textile workers (360 rubles, 310 rubles as against 211, etc.). And at the largest factories the proportion of textile workers in the total number of workers is considerably greater than at medium and small factories. This is why we get an apparent exception to the rule: it would seem that at medium and small factories wages are higher than at large ones.

What conclusion, then, do we draw regarding the increase in wages after the fifth year at large and small factories?

At large factories (500 and more workers) this increase amounts to about 40 rubles per year, i.e., 20 kopecks per ruble.

At medium and small factories, from 21 to 500 persons, the increase equals about 25 rubles, i.e., about 12 kopecks per ruble.

At the very smallest factories (20 persons and fewer) the increase is only 14 rubles, i.e., 7–8 kopecks per ruble.

Thus, the more energetic and solidary strike struggle of workers at large factories resulted in a higher increase in wages. We have already pointed out that by uniting in unions, workers at small factories can in this respect catch up with workers at large ones.

III

The gains of workers from the strike struggle of the fifth year were expressed not only in an increase in wages. Besides that, the entire position of the worker improved for the better.

It is impossible to express precisely the extent of this improvement in the position of workers in figures, but every worker understood and felt well this improvement in 1905–1906.

The data of factory inspector Kozminyкh-Lanin allow us only to determine the influence of the fifth year on the fining of workers. By fining workers, the capitalist appropriates to himself the role of judge. Therefore, fines are always connected with particularly much arbitrariness toward workers, and sometimes even outright mockery of workers. Naturally, workers always demand the abolition of fines, the deprivation of capitalists of the right to be judges in their own affairs.

Here are the figures on the fining of all workers in Moscow Province by year:

We see how successfully the workers "reduced" the sum of fines. Before 1905 fines constituted from 27 to 30 kopecks per worker.

The fifth year arrives. Fines suddenly drop by almost half: to 17 kopecks. In 1906 the results of the fifth year become even clearer: fines drop to 12 kopecks.

The revolution passes. Capitalists grow bolder. Fines rise again – to 15–18–21 kopecks.

But even in 1909, – and this was the year of the deepest and longest lull – the capitalists failed to raise fines to their former, disgraceful height. No matter how much the capitalist grovels before Purishkevich, still both "dear friends" fail to return to the good old days: the worker in Russia is no longer the same. The worker in Russia has learned something!

If we compare the sum of fines with the sum of workers' wages – and such a comparison is necessary, for it is not the same thing to pay twenty kopecks out of a ruble and out of a ruble and a half wage, – then the victory of workers in the fifth year appears even more clearly.

On average, per 100 rubles of workers' wages, the sum of fines in kopecks per year was:

Consequently, as a result of the fifth year, workers in Moscow Province achieved a reduction of the disgraceful fines by one-third. They will also achieve the complete abolition of fines.

IV

In conclusion, let us dwell briefly on the question of what share of wages Moscow workers receive in cash.

The position of Moscow workers in this respect is difficult. In 1909 they received a total of 73 million rubles in wages; of them 61½ million rubles, i.e., 84.2 %, was paid out in cash. Almost a tenth of wages, 7.2 million rubles, was paid out in provisions and goods from factory shops. This form of payment places workers in a state of serf-like dependence on their employers and gives the employers "excess profit."

Particularly bad in this respect is the position of workers in the cotton processing industry: more than a fifth of wages (5.9 million rubles out of 28.8) was paid in provisions. If workers had secured themselves independent workers' cooperatives, not only would hundreds of thousands of rubles have been saved for the slaves of capital, but also the semi-serf dependence on employers' shops would have ceased.

Furthermore, 3¾ million rubles (5 %) of wages workers received in payment for goods they had taken from consumer cooperatives and the like. Finally, 680 thousand rubles (0.9 %) of wages were received as payment for workers' board, who were maintained on the employers' provisions.

This form of payment, condemning the worker to thousands of forms of personal dependence of a serf-like character, has persisted more noticeably in the silk and flax processing industries, then in the food and animal products industries.

As for the influence of the fifth year on the forms of wage payment, in this respect almost no conquests have been made. Here are the figures since 1901:

After 1905 payment in cash increased in extremely insignificant amounts. The system of maintaining workers on employers' provisions decreased equally little. On the contrary, payment through factory shops even increased somewhat.

On the whole, the situation remained as bad as before. Moscow workers will have to achieve payment in cash and struggle for the replacement of factory shops with independent workers' consumer societies.

"Nash Put'" nos. 13 and 14; September 8 and 10, 1913. Signed: V. Ilyich

Printed from the text of the newspaper "Nash Put'"